perpetuate

verb

per·​pet·​u·​ate pər-ˈpe-chə-ˌwāt How to pronounce perpetuate (audio)
perpetuated; perpetuating
Synonyms of perpetuate

transitive verb

: to make perpetual or cause to last indefinitely
perpetuate the species
perpetuation
pər-ˌpe-chə-ˈwā-shən How to pronounce perpetuate (audio)
noun
perpetuator
pər-ˈpe-chə-ˌwā-tər How to pronounce perpetuate (audio)
noun

Synonyms of perpetuate

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Examples of perpetuate in a Sentence

He perpetuates the myth that his house is haunted. Fears about an epidemic are being perpetuated by the media.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In Capital in the Twenty-First Century, the French economist Thomas Piketty showed how wealth perpetuates across generations and widens the divide between those who own capital and everyone else. — Nicholas Bequelin, Time, 16 Oct. 2026 Our very language perpetuates the idea of bogs as unvalued and unwanted. — Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026 The court order stems from a finding that Shkreli organized an anti-competitive scheme to perpetuate his company Vyera Pharmaceuticals’ monopoly in the anti-parasitic drug Daraprim. — Dan Mangan, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026 Judgment and control can make a victim isolate themselves, which perpetuates the abuse, experts said. — Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for perpetuate

Word History

Etymology

Latin perpetuatus, past participle of perpetuare, from perpetuus

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of perpetuate was in 1530

Rhymes for perpetuate

See All Rhymes for perpetuate

Browse Nearby Words

perpetuana
perpetuate
perpetuation
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Perpetuate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perpetuate. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

perpetuate

verb
per·​pet·​u·​ate pər-ˈpech-ə-ˌwāt How to pronounce perpetuate (audio)
perpetuated; perpetuating
: to make perpetual or cause to last indefinitely
perpetuation
-ˌpech-ə-ˈwā-shən How to pronounce perpetuate (audio)
noun
perpetuator
-ˈpech-ə-ˌwāt-ər How to pronounce perpetuate (audio)
noun

Legal Definition

perpetuate

transitive verb
per·​pet·​u·​ate pər-ˈpe-chə-ˌwāt How to pronounce perpetuate (audio)
perpetuated; perpetuating
: to preserve or make available (testimony) for later use at a trial by means of deposition especially when the evidence so gathered would be otherwise unavailable or lost

Note: Courts will not allow the perpetuation of testimony at a pretrial proceeding if it appears to be an attempt to fish for useful material.

perpetuation
pər-ˌpe-chə-ˈwā-shən How to pronounce perpetuate (audio)
noun
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